KATHMANDU, Oct 8: World Sight Day is being observed today with various programs under the theme “Love Your Eyes, Protect Your Vision.” The day is marked every year on the second Thursday of October.
This year’s theme encourages people to take care of their eyes while urging the government and other stakeholders to ensure accessible and quality eye care services for all. It also calls for expanding eye examinations and awareness programs in schools, workplaces and policymaking institutions.
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Nepal has made considerable progress in reducing blindness over the past four decades. The prevalence of blindness stood at 0.84 percent in 1981 but fell to 0.28 percent, according to the 2022 Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness, or RAAB, survey. However, the decline in blindness does not mean that the country has overcome all eye health problems.
According to Dr Shailesh Kumar Mishra, executive director of the Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh, glaucoma, retinal diseases, diabetes related vision problems, age related eye diseases and refractive errors are emerging as growing challenges.
Increasing life expectancy, the rising burden of noncommunicable diseases, changing lifestyles and widespread use of digital devices are creating new risks to eye health.
The Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh has so far provided treatment services to 50.2 million people and performed 5.66 million eye surgeries.
The organization currently provides eye care services to Nepalis as well as foreign nationals through 28 eye hospitals and 226 treatment centers operated under its 44 district branches.
